Letters to the editor for January 21, 2013

Published: Monday, January 21, 2013 at 5:30 a.m.

Last Modified: Sunday, January 20, 2013 at 2:15 p.m.

Reflecting on civil rights

"Is he a brother, or is he a cornball brother?" "But he's not really down with the cause...." Those remarks got ESPN's "First Take" commentator Rob Parker fired and columnist Leonard Pitts tries to explain the complexities of being black.

I say to Rob Parker, "What cause?" If it's a black civil rights cause, you already won by having a black president who, although biracial, signed his 2012 federal census form as black, not biracial. Actor and Oscar winner Jamie Foxx just stated while hosting Saturday Night Live that in his movie "Django Unchained," he gets to "kill all the white people in the movie. How great is that?"

As a once-upon-a-time Freedom Rider, I don't think the civil rights struggle has been won, not after comments like those, despite having a man with an African name in the White House. Many good people died for that cause and now I think the blacks owe it to their memories to correct this growing problem of black enmity toward non-blacks.

Many blacks have commented that the Civil Rights Act of 1965 destroyed the black community — citing welfare, the 72 percent illegitimacy rate among blacks, the taboo on the N-word that only blacks can use in full, and the murder and violent crime rate of black criminals and gang members.

"Not with the cause?" The cause has been won, and Dr. Martin Luther King would have been thrilled that this nation which had segregation in 1965 now has no segregation, has affirmative action, and has opened opportunities for his people.

I recall writing to Obama in 2009 and suggesting that he address black America to stop illegitimacy, crime and violence and take personal responsibility. Rob Parker and Jamie Foxx should be soundly criticized by their community, not just by Leonard Pitts.

WM. J. LEVY

Ormond Beach

Dogs, profits do mix

This letter is in response to the letter titled "Dogs, dining don't mix," in Monday's News-Journal.

I'm sorry the writer has had "just about a bellyful of favorable comments concerning dogs in restaurant eating areas."

I, for one, have not had a bellyful of favorable comments. In fact, I'm all for allowing pets in outside areas of dining establishments that allow pets, and I'm thinking I'm not the only one that feels this way or this discussion would not have gotten as far as it has.

There are plenty of pet owners who would welcome this opportunity. I'd be happy to take the writer's place if he decides he can't enjoy his satisfying meal. There are plenty of places that can't offer this service and they would be happy for his business.

Whatever it takes to get business in the door, I'm all for.

JOHN L. SHAFNER

Ormond Beach

Keep guns in perilous times

Don't mess with the Second Amendment. Nine shootings occurred in Chicago in one night — the night of Jan. 8. It appears those shootings were not perpetrated by law-abiding gun owners; they were probably by punks who may have been drug-fueled/money-incited dealers who find their cash cow in the misery of others.

We need a barrier fence for illegals; but more than that, we need a barrier that will contain scum that will feed off (and make money from) the addictions of the sorry populations of the under-educated, the youth with no home base or direction, and those with the "entitlement" (poor me!) mentality.

Responsible gun owners — do not give up your constitutional rights by agreeing that guns kill people. People with guns kill people.

There's still so much to be done by vetting people who have aggression issues and mental health issues, but standing firm on our constitutional right might just make the right people look at the right issues and take the right action to assure that we can remain safe.

I don't know the answers, but I do know that we cannot or should not go into these times without protection.

PAULINE B. ALFANO

Palm Coast

This money is owed

I would just like to remind people that Social Security and Medicare are not so- called "entitlements" unless you mean I'm entitled to get them — because I paid into those systems since I began working in 1971.

I allowed this willingly and without protest, because I had the promise of getting that money back as a monthly stipend or as health care payments when I retired.

If politicians want to haggle and berate and wheel and deal about everything under the sun, so be it. But leave Social Security and Medicare alone. The money that's there now is not even your money to haggle with. It's mine.

<p class="bold allcaps">Reflecting on civil rights</p>
<p>"Is he a brother, or is he a cornball brother?" "But he's not really down with the cause...." Those remarks got ESPN's "First Take" commentator Rob Parker fired and columnist Leonard Pitts tries to explain the complexities of being black. </p><p>I say to Rob Parker, "What cause?" If it's a black civil rights cause, you already won by having a black president who, although biracial, signed his 2012 federal census form as black, not biracial. Actor and Oscar winner Jamie Foxx just stated while hosting Saturday Night Live that in his movie "Django Unchained," he gets to "kill all the white people in the movie. How great is that?" </p><p>As a once-upon-a-time Freedom Rider, I don't think the civil rights struggle has been won, not after comments like those, despite having a man with an African name in the White House. Many good people died for that cause and now I think the blacks owe it to their memories to correct this growing problem of black enmity toward non-blacks. </p><p>Many blacks have commented that the Civil Rights Act of 1965 destroyed the black community &mdash; citing welfare, the 72 percent illegitimacy rate among blacks, the taboo on the N-word that only blacks can use in full, and the murder and violent crime rate of black criminals and gang members. </p><p>"Not with the cause?" The cause has been won, and Dr. Martin Luther King would have been thrilled that this nation which had segregation in 1965 now has no segregation, has affirmative action, and has opened opportunities for his people. </p><p>I recall writing to Obama in 2009 and suggesting that he address black America to stop illegitimacy, crime and violence and take personal responsibility. Rob Parker and Jamie Foxx should be soundly criticized by their community, not just by Leonard Pitts.</p><p> </p><p></p><p><b>WM. J. LEVY</p><p>Ormond Beach</b></p><h3>Dogs, profits do mix</h3>
<p>This letter is in response to the letter titled "Dogs, dining don't mix," in Monday's News-Journal. </p><p>I'm sorry the writer has had "just about a bellyful of favorable comments concerning dogs in restaurant eating areas." </p><p>I, for one, have not had a bellyful of favorable comments. In fact, I'm all for allowing pets in outside areas of dining establishments that allow pets, and I'm thinking I'm not the only one that feels this way or this discussion would not have gotten as far as it has. </p><p>There are plenty of pet owners who would welcome this opportunity. I'd be happy to take the writer's place if he decides he can't enjoy his satisfying meal. There are plenty of places that can't offer this service and they would be happy for his business. </p><p>Whatever it takes to get business in the door, I'm all for.</p><p><b>JOHN L. SHAFNER</p><p>Ormond Beach</b></p><h3>Keep guns in perilous times</h3>
<p>Don't mess with the Second Amendment. Nine shootings occurred in Chicago in one night &mdash; the night of Jan. 8. It appears those shootings were not perpetrated by law-abiding gun owners; they were probably by punks who may have been drug-fueled/money-incited dealers who find their cash cow in the misery of others. </p><p>We need a barrier fence for illegals; but more than that, we need a barrier that will contain scum that will feed off (and make money from) the addictions of the sorry populations of the under-educated, the youth with no home base or direction, and those with the "entitlement" (poor me!) mentality. </p><p>Responsible gun owners &mdash; do not give up your constitutional rights by agreeing that guns kill people. People with guns kill people. </p><p>There's still so much to be done by vetting people who have aggression issues and mental health issues, but standing firm on our constitutional right might just make the right people look at the right issues and take the right action to assure that we can remain safe. </p><p>I don't know the answers, but I do know that we cannot or should not go into these times without protection.</p><p><b>PAULINE B. ALFANO</p><p>Palm Coast</b></p><h3>This money is owed</h3>
<p>I would just like to remind people that Social Security and Medicare are not so- called "entitlements" unless you mean I'm entitled to get them &mdash; because I paid into those systems since I began working in 1971. </p><p>I allowed this willingly and without protest, because I had the promise of getting that money back as a monthly stipend or as health care payments when I retired. </p><p>If politicians want to haggle and berate and wheel and deal about everything under the sun, so be it. But leave Social Security and Medicare alone. The money that's there now is not even your money to haggle with. It's mine.</p><p> </p><p><b>KAREN DeMAIO</p><p>Deltona</b></p>